Never Alone
by hollywoodstarsandeyes
Summary: Starfire confronts Raven after the events of "How Long Is Forever?". Can Starfire convince Raven she is never alone? Pleeeease, read and review!


A/N: This is just something I have always thought about, and since it's my birthday, I decided to go ahead and write it, even if it isn't great. Please tell me what you think, read and review!

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Never Alone

Starfire's steps echoed through the tower. She treaded as cautiously as she could; it was late, and it wouldn't do to wake the others. Smiling, she stepped over fallen kinebulas and forgotten gorka pipes in the hall. Blorthog was over, and the festivities had been quite boisterous.

Beast Boy and Cyborg succeeded in tearing up most of the tower, while Robin ran after them, yelling at them to remember how much the _last_ reparation had cost, and Raven threatened to blast them both to kingdom come when they attempted to redecorate her room using Starfire's Tamaranian decorations.

How they got the courage to even insinuate entering Raven's room was beyond Starfire. _Oh well_, she thought. _They escaped mostly undamaged, although Beast Boy's butt will probably be sore tomorrow, and Cyborg will evidently need to recharge for a few extra hours_.

All in all, it had been quite a day, what with traveling 20 years into the future and all. She wondered why she wasn't more tired. The truth of the matter was, traveling through time with Warp had rattled her deep to her core.

Starfire shivered, her good spirits leaving her, as she remembered the images of the fallen Titans. Cyborg in disrepair, Robin strong and prominent, but so _alone_, Beast Boy willingly trapped behind bars, and Raven…Could something like that happen so easily? If one Titan left, would the rest fall apart? Apparently, it was so, though Starfire tried so hard to assure herself it wasn't true.

Starfire stopped when she reached her destination. Many questions had echoed through her head today, and she intended to find some answers here. She could barely make out the word on the door in the dark, and though she lifted her natural lantern to see better, she didn't have to. Raven.

Starfire pressed her ear to the door. Silence. Gingerly, Starfire knocked on the metal surface. To her great surprise, Raven answered immediately. Hood down, she seem surprised to see the alien. "Starfire? Do you have any idea what time it is? You should be asleep." "I believe the same can be said for you," Starfire replied. Raven said nothing. She studied Starfire for a moment, than moved aside from the door frame. "I'm probably going to regret this but…would you like to come in?" Starfire was overjoyed by the offer; she knew occasions such as these were rare. She floated inside.

The only disarray in Raven's room were the bed covers, ruffled to some extent, as though she had been tossing and turning to no avail. A slightly steaming mug of tea was resting on the nightstand. Starfire turned as she heard the door close with a hiss, and faced the team's pit of darkness. Was it her imagination, or were those shadows under Raven's eyes darker than usual?

Raven stared at Starfire stoically. "Uhh…was there something you wanted to talk about?" Starfire sighed. "I am afraid it is so. I wanted to discuss with you further the images I saw today in the future…the images of _you_." Raven arched an eyebrow. "What's there to talk about? Those were things that could have been. Hopefully they have been averted, but there's no point in dwelling on them."

"I believe there is," stated Starfire firmly. "I hate to be so direct, but I am forced to say that of all the Titans, I am most concerned about you…about _your_ future." Raven didn't reply; her expression grew slightly colder. Starfire hastily tried to explain, fumbling with words.

"All the things I saw today frightened me…it is not at all pleasant to see your good friends in such a state of, well, _desolation_. And yet…it is quite possible for Cyborg to fall behind in the world of technology. Perhaps Beast Boy will lose his hair and gain much weight. Robin will no doubt be the outstanding fighter of crime he is destined to be, though hopefully he will still have friends…"

Starfire trailed off at this, blushing slightly. "However, I fear much what might happen to you. What I saw was…truly disturbing. Seeing you now, it seems like a far off dream, but...Raven, I do not want you to fall in such a way, to be lost in a place so far away, so out of reach…that it is unfathomable."

Starfire shut her eyes, awaiting a torrent of angry words, or a least a blast of black energy for her boldness. When none came, she hesitantly opened her eyes.

What she saw was unimaginable. Were those _tears_ in the Azarathian's eyes? In the blink of an eye, however they were gone, and only Raven remained. She seemed to be struggling with herself, as though wanting to say something, but unsure how.

Finally, she opened her mouth. "Thank you, Starfire. I know your worried about me. To tell the truth, I'm kind of worried myself…" She sat down at the foot of her bed, and invited Starfire to sit as well. "Starfire…I have to ask you something, and it's very important that you answer me. Are you sure, are you absolutely _certain_…that I was wearing a _white_ cloak when you saw me?"

Starfire was surprised at the unusual question. "Yes, I am certain. Your outfit was white." At this, Raven heaved a deep sigh. A great burden seemed to have been lifted off of her shoulders, only to be replaced by a new one. For a few minutes, she remained in her own world, staring straight in front of her, into space. At length she muttered, "Well, that answers some of my doubts…though the cost may be too much…"

Raven looked directly at Starfire's questioning face and said, "Starfire, I know that my question doesn't make sense to you. It probably never will. Please don't ask me to explain it now. Perhaps someday…it will be clear to you. But take heart in the fact that you have answered one of the enigmas that constantly haunts my mind…and my heart."

Starfire was at a lost for words. She didn't understand at all…but maybe she didn't have to. Raven, seeing that her alien friend was still confused, said lightly, "So…you're worried about my sanity, are you?"

Starfire involuntarily shuddered at her friend's casual tone. "Raven, do not speak in such a way. You believed me to be a figment of your imagination when you saw me, that you were all alone…and that you always would be."

Raven said nothing. She hugged her knees to her chest. Starfire, sensing this to be the right time, spoke urgently. "Raven, please remember…_you are never alone. No matter what happens, no matter how bad things seem, no matter how dark the night becomes, no matter what…you are not alone. We are here for you, Raven. _And we always will be."

Raven swallowed back tears. She tried so hard to believe it, tried to shut out the voices in her head telling her it wasn't true, struggled to control this unknown emotion raging through her. She shut her eyes tightly. She heard the voices that rung in her mind everyday.

"You're all alone, Raven."

"They don't understand you."

"You have no one."

"There's no hope for you."

"You are lost."

"No one can save you."

"Yes…_some one **can**."_ With a gasp, Raven opened her eyes. Starfire's arms were around her. Hesitantly, she returned the embrace. The emotion was too much. She was vaguely aware of something exploding in the background, but she paid it no heed. Tears spilled from her eyes before she could stop them, the dam holding them back broken. Slowly, ever so slowly…the echoes in her head changed.

"Some one **can** save you."

"Keep hope alive."

"You are not lost."

"They are there for you."

"_You are never alone_."

"Thank you, Starfire," sobbed Raven into Starfire's shoulder. "Thank you."

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Well, that's basically it, just thought someone might like it. Please, please, _please_, review! Just for my b-day, pretty please!

Jambey


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